The Center of the Master's of Science in Early Childhood Studies Program-Sherida Richards-Malcolm

  Children are unique in their own right, and they must be provided with the opportunity to grow and develop at their own space and stage. Children all have potential, and it is my duty as an early childhood professional to maximise their full potential. Whether they are gifted/talented or suffer from disabilities, all children must be catered for in an inclusive classroom. Children should be allowed to play and discover the world around them. As a result, whether structured or unstructured, early childhood professionals, provide students with the opportunity to develop social skills and maintain healthy relationships. Lastly, children should be taken out of the proximal development zone into an area where they learn something new daily. Leaving from the known to the unknown. collaborating and cooperating to unleash the creativity and innovativeness that is waiting to unwrap.

A holistic approach to child development seeks to simultaneously address the physical, emotional, relational, intellectual and spiritual aspects of a child's life. The importance of the Holistic Approach is that its children learn different things at different stages, e.g. walking talking, fine motor skills etc. Holistic learning is especially effective for young children because it encompasses the whole child and a broad range of learning goals. Besides, it focused on more than cognitive development, holistic learning incorporates mind, body, spirit, behaviour and social interaction.  I believe the Multiple Intelligences play a very vital role in the holistic development of children. 'Learning' and 'education' are embedded in care and development (Myers, 2001). When we take about Early Childhood Education, the outcomes are high school enrollment, schools retentions, intellectual and academic achievements, low delinquency rates, better job opportunities. The fact is